Glenna Maurine Tippetts Dodge

Glenna Maurine Tippetts Dodge, age 97, passed into eternity on June 5, 2025, after a battle with leukemia, having lived a long and beautiful life, and no doubt joyously reuniting with loved ones on the other side.

Glenna was born on February 4, 1928, in Morgan, Utah, to John Roy Tippetts and Ethel Josephine Adair, the youngest of five children. She married Glen Peterson Dodge on August 2, 1947, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Glen was her match in all things. They shared a love of art, lifelong learning, humor (especially wordplay), world travel, and a zest for life. Together, they raised four children, passing those values on to their posterity.

Glenna was bright and curious. She graduated from Morgan High School and went on to receive a Bachelor of Science from the University of Utah - Cum Laude- Phi Kappa Phi. She was also awarded an MFA in Theatre from the University of Utah. Beyond her formal education, Glenna soaked up knowledge wherever she could find it. She always had a book in her hand and studied topics ranging from history and current events to cultures and experimental physics.

Glenna was an artist who excelled in many mediums, including painting, sculpture, commercial art, and theater costume and set design. She was also a musician who enjoyed playing the piano and singing in the church choir.

Her first job as an artist was designing window displays for ZCMI in the 1940s. There, she met Glen, who worked as a sign painter. They continued to make art together over the decades of their lives, including theater sets, parade floats, and costumes and sets for church productions.

Glenna designed costumes for the Christmas displays at the Salt Lake Temple Square visitor’s center as well as for Pioneer Memorial Theater and the University of Utah. She worked with schools and community theaters on award-winning costume and set designs and construction. Through that legacy, much of her posterity has become involved in community and professional theater and film.

Glenna shared her strong belief in education and love for art as a teacher, working with students until she was in her 80's. She taught art at Hillcrest High School, Brighton High School, Alta High School, and Coral Canyon Elementary. Many of her students went on to become successful artists and designers. She also counts many artists among her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Family was always foremost in Glenna’s life. She taught her posterity to see the world through the eyes of an artist and open up their lives to a myriad of possibilities. She passed on to future generations her love for reading and learning. Above all, she taught love and service.

As an active, life-long member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, she loved teaching Gospel Doctrine, Young Women, and Primary. She served a senior mission in Arizona with her sister, Leila.

She served her community in many ways, including as a city council member in Leeds, Utah.

Glen and Glenna opened their home to Native American students, Japanese professionals studying English, and other young people who just needed a place to stay. Because she welcomed people from many backgrounds into her family, her posterity has followed suit.

From her childhood in Morgan to retirement in Southern Utah, Glenna always had a dog, and often had other critters around the house and yard, including ducks, geese, chickens, cats, pigeons, parrots, parakeets, finches, turtles, snakes, hamsters and more. She’s passed that love of animals on to her family, and can count many fur-babies among her posterity.

Glenna is survived by her children, Glen Merrill (Jeanine) Dodge, Teresa Maurine Garrard, Michelle (Vic) Groves, 16 grandchildren, 43 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband Glen “Pete” Dodge, daughter Coleen (Bud) Christofferson, and great-granddaughter Marissa Christofferson; and her older sisters Mildred, who passed away at age 98, and Leila, who passed away at 103, who she was very close to.

A graveside service will be held on Friday, June 13, 2025 at 10:30 a.m. at Memorial Mountain View Cemetery, 3115 Bengal Blvd, Cottonwood Heights, Utah.